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2 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanville, Wednesday, June 22,1994 Section Two % Cattaiian Motto Former Publishers • Rev. W. R. Climie, 1854 -1878 • M. A. James, 1878 -1935 " • George W. James, 1935 -1957 Produced weekly by James Publishing Company Limited P.O. Box 190,62 King St. W., Bowmanville, Ontario L1C 3K9 905-623-3303 Fax 905-623-6161 For 140 Years, Our First Concern Has Been Our Community Publisher-John M. James _ Assoc. Publisher - Richard A. James Plant Manager - Donald J. Bishop Ad. Manager - Brian G. Purdy Editor - Peter Parrott Production Rick Patterson, Laurens Kaldeway, Doug Lugtenburg, Sharon McMullen, Barb Patterson, Ralph Rozema, Jim Snoek, Vance Sutherland, Jim Tuuramo Advertising Editorial Laverne Morrison, Eva Westermann Brad Kelly, Lorraine Manfredo, Laura J. Richards Office Angela Luscher, Junia Hodge, Grace McGregor, Nancy Pleasance-Sturman, Marilyn Rutherford Different Cultures Community newspapers are not considered "a core cultural industry." That's the verdict from Ontario's Minister of Culture, Tourism and Recreation, who recently replied to Ontario's Community Newspapers Association on the possibility of the association (or, perhaps individual members) receiving provincial grants. It isn't a surprising answer. In fact, one could have almost predicted it Community newspapers are accustomed to surviving oh their own and not being supported by government grants. But, the fact remains that the provincial government is in the business of giving out hefty grants to publications deemed to be important cultural institutions. So, you can hardly blame the Ontario Community Newspapers Association for investigating the possibility of funds. After all, if others are feeding at the public trough, there's no harm in at least trying to join the line-up. Would a grant to the organization which. represents Ontario's community papers not be a benefit to the culture of Ontario? In the past, for example, the Ontario Publishing Centre has given grants to a cycling magazine for $30,000 and to a cottage magazine for $40,000. The latest batch of grants from the Publishing Centre amounts to over $800,000. The publishers use the money for a variety of projects, including the purchase of desk-top computer equipment, subscription drives, reader surveys, etc. Apparently, newspapers wouldn't qualify for such funds because they are not a cultural industry. It seems as though you can put out a magazine for collectors of rare, antique left-handed finger-bowls and apply for government giants because you are a publisher of the cultural industry. On the other hand, you can cover the ongoing life of a community, and serve as a clearing-house of community information, but not be considered a cultural institution. You can spend years -- decades, in fact -- covering art exhibits, concerts, amateur drama programs and book-launchings by community authors, but not be considered a cultural industry. You can cover activities of community groups interested in everything from architecture to zoology, but not be considered a part of the cultural industry. You can hire writers, photographers, and graphic artists, but not be considered part of the cultural industry. If community newspapers are not a part of Ontario's cultural industry, whois? z In short, Ontario's community newspapers will continue to survive on their own. We should also take a pride in the fact that our publications -- cultural or not -- do not receive one red cent from government grants. If we had our druthers, we'd prefer to see governments refrain from using public funds to help out private enterprise, since any such pants will be highly subjective. The best thing governments could do to help publishers and any other businesses is not to encumber them with red tape or unnecessary regulations and keep taxation to a minimum so that businesses have enough money to expand and create new jobs. Nevertheless, when we see publishers of cultural magazines getting public grants to pay for the same things community newspapers purchase with their own hard-earned money, the process seems unfair. The Pleasures of Owning a Pool Aside from the many criminal charges arising from the OJ. Simpson arrests last week, it's unfortunate that the major American TV networks cannot be charged with over-zeàlous reporting. For several hours, TV viewers were treated to the spectacle of a lengthy car chase on the highways of Los Angeles. But, in this case, it was no TV cop show. The cops were real cops, the fugitives were real fugitives. As cameras become more portable and satellite communications become more refined, North Americans have opened a chapter on a whole new genre of television programming. Television news has crossed the boundary of information and is now operating in the field of entertainment. It's a disturbing trend. First of all, there is a definite danger of getting camera crews and reporters involved in the process of police work. There is the obvious danger to the personnel themselves. But, in addition, there is the likelihood that tense situations can become even more explosive when a person who is about to have a showdown with the law does so in front of a dozen cameras. It seems to us that there is less likelihood that police can make a quiet arrest and more of a likelihood that the fugitive will act for the cameras. There is also the danger that disturbed individuals will try to emulate those incidents they may have seen on television. Most people will never be recognized on network television for some positive accomplishment. But any two-bit hoodlum with a gun has a good chance of getting nation-wide recognition, especially if the crime is spectacular enough. The possibility also exists that the public will begin to side with the criminals rather than with law enforcement. Criminals will be seen as romantic figures willing to take on an entire police force, rather than the kinds of individuals who are a threat to peace, order, and good government Finally, the over-emphasis on police chases, hostage-takings and shoot-outs will convey a lopsided view of violence in North America. While it is true that violent crime is a problem, it is equally true that most citizens are law-abiding and most communities are reasonably safe. In a country such as the U.S., where there are well over 200 million nnntinued on Paoe 3 -9L • 1 e6-2Z.?«f "We were just in the neighborhood and decided to drop by. Mind if my friends join us?" We Asked... .... Do you think the Chairman of Durham Regional government should be voted into place by the public? .. .And You Said I ' t Charlie Trim Bowmanville "Yes. Because that is our democratic process. It makes the individual more accountable to the public." JohnKroft Benji Fuller Jim Connell Enfield Bowmanville Bowmanville "Absolutely to have "Yes..I think the pub- "I think so, yes. If accountability the lie should have the you don't, the race person should be right to vote in the could be a popularity voted in." chairman." contest." Next week's question: What are you going to do on your summer vacation?